Isidore okpewho, nnom 9 november 1941 4 september 2016, was a nigerian novelist and critic. He won the 1976 african arts prize for literature, and the 1993 commonwealth writers prize, best book africa. Isidore okpewho, for many years professor of english at the university of ibadan, is one of the handful of african scholars who has facilitated the growth of african oral literature to its status today as a literary enterprise concerned with the artistic foundations of human culture. Okpewho devoted much of his fieldwork recording and examining the oral perfor mance traditions of.
Why professor isidore okpewho was buried in usa wife. He won the 1976 african arts prize for literature, and the 1993 commonwealth writers prize, best book africa also a classicist and scholar, he has been described as one of the most brilliant men of his generation and one of nigerias most iconic literary figures. When ediru, the elder son of professor isidore okpewho, called to tell me that his. Contemporary africa and the politics in literature springerlink. Isidore okpewho author of chinua achebes things fall apart. An astute orature and diasporan scholar, writer, poet, novelist and teacher for many years in different universities in nigeria and other parts of the world, prof okpewho is notably recognised as. As a writer once noted, recognition for okpewho s work has come with some of the most prestigious fellowships in the. Isidore okpewho was the leading scholar in african oral tradition which is the foundation of african traditional philosophy, my area of academic. Patricks college, asaba, okpewho arrived in the then university college, ibadan at. I would end up writing my thesis under his supervision.
Pdf when ediru, the elder son of professor isidore okpewho, called to tell. Jack mapanje, nurudin farar, isidore okpewho, festus iyayi, femi osofisan. He was also an accomplished fiction writer whose third novel, tides, won the british commonwealth writers prize for africa. Wife of late literary giant, professor isidore okpewho, has finally cleared the air on why her late husbands body was buried at gate of heaven cemetery, new jersey, in the united states of america. Nigerians and, indeed, scholars all over the world have not yet recovered from their shock at the loss of two nigerian literary giants, elechi amadi and isidore okpewho, only recently in 2016. Isidore okpewho was born in abraka of an urhobo father and an igbo mother from asaba. Winner of the british commonwealth writers prize for africa, 1993. African oral literature by isidore okpewho pdf free. Chinua achebes things fall apart by isidore okpewho. Okey ndibe, celebrated writer, public intellectual, and viebranz visiting professor of creative writing at st lawrence university, canton, u. The younger remains in lagos as a freelance writer. His last novel, call me by my rightful name 2004 testifies to okpewho. Follow isidore okpewho and explore their bibliography from s isidore okpewho author page. Tides, winner of the commonwealth 1 writers prize for africa 1993, and call me.
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